"You hear a lot of talk about reality TV being scripted and people deciding stuff [behind the scenes], but Top Chef is 100 percent authentic," he told The Feast when we caught up with him recently at PaleyFest in NYC. And that means the food is presented to the judges exactly like they might expect to eat it at a pleasant meal in a restaurant — and that's a detail that sets the show apart from others," he said.

"The food is eaten hot, which most — pretty much every — other food show you ever watch unless it’s one of ours, that’s not the case," he expanded. "Normally, people eat it cold and they pretend that it tastes delicious. So [on Bravo's Top Chef] the food’s always eaten hot, the judges are never interfered with, they make the decision they want to make. Sometimes we cry a little bit when they make those decisions but it’s a really true and authentic show and I think that, I would hope that people who are watching it would realize that and sense that on some level."

See MoreBravo Exec Reveals Which Top Chef Competitor Deserved More Time: "Gone Way Too Early"

"I really, truly believe that [the judges] are kind of how you see them on TV: Tom and Padma, Gail, Graham, they’re exactly like you see them on TV. They really are very much the same people. Maybe slightly less well-behaved when cameras stop rolling, but other than that exactly as you’d imagine."

The Feast is Bravo’s digital destination serving culinary inspiration and essential food news. Like us on Facebook and visit daily for diet and wellness trends, kitchen hacks and tools — and the buzziest celebrity, chef, and restaurant happenings you need to know about right now.